This is an evolving collection of
my answers to typical questions that I receive throughout the semester. I have
written this document as a policy statement to ensure transparency and consistency
to the ways in which these issues are handled in my classes. Please keep in
mind that I may make minor adjustments to this FAQ from time to time. Also note:
failure to read this FAQ or failure to raise concerns about its content by the
second meeting of our class does not free you from the consequences of this
policy.

My office hours are noted on first page of the syllabus and on the first page
of the course website - and you may sign up for a block (sign up only
for one at a time, please) by visiting my sign-up
site. NOTE: Because my automated sign-up system relies on Google Calendar, check your Google Calendar settings to ensure that you're in the correct time-zone.

2. Can you meet me at a time not listed on your office
hours?

Maybe, but there are no guarantees. My professional duties include classroom preparation, academic
scholarship, committee meetings, and various other university responsibilities
- not to mention the time I spend in the classroom. Thus I have a full schedule.
While I will try to make accommodations in exceptional cases, I cannot promise
an extra office-visit opportunity beyond the ones that I offer.

3. Can I talk to you right before or after class?

No and yes. I love to chat with students. However, I dedicate my attention before
class to course preparation. Indeed my first priority when I walk into class
is set-up of any technologies that will augment my teaching and aid your learning.
So, unless I’m clearly done with my preparations, please don’t ask
to chat. Right after class, I may have a few moments for brief questions, but
I cannot address lengthy issues at that time.

4. How quickly will you respond to my email?

If you submit a clear and succinct question, I will endeavor to answer it within
24 hours. Indeed, I will try to respond to your question immediately upon reading
it. Even so, I recommend that you don’t expect rapid response to email
questions sent after 5 p.m. on weekdays - or sent any time on weekends or holidays.
I will respond to those messages early in the next business day.

5. Did you get my email?

I respond to every student email that I receive, but due to the complexities
of electronic communication your message may not reach my in-box. If you send
me a message and don’t hear from me in a reasonable time (see
question above), double-check the email address that you used and try again.
Further problems? Leave a message on my office phone and we’ll diagnose
the email problem together. Of course, I am more likely to respond meaningfully
to your electronic communication if you follow basic rules of email etiquette.
6. What do you mean by email etiquette?

First, please write a specific subject line (not just “help!”) -
and state your name and class in your message. Second, keep your questions brief
and focused. I receive several dozen emails a day and do not have time to parse
lengthy missives. Third, unless you are starting a new topic thread, always
reply to my most recent email to you - including the text of our previous messages.
Doing so helps me understand the context of your current message. Fourth, check
your messages for spelling, grammar, and punctuation. While some appropriate
degree of informality is acceptable - and we all make the occasional typo -
emails related to our class constitute professional communication, and they
require reasonable editing for accuracy, brevity, and clarity. Finally, do not
forget to “close the loop.”

7. What do you mean by close the loop?

The person who initiates an email exchange and receives a reply (particularly
when the reply is an answer to a question) should close the loop by acknowledging
that reply. A simple, “Cool,” or “I got it,” or “Thanks”
is sufficient. But students who fail to close the loop with me - who send me
emails, receive replies, and fail to acknowledge them - may find that my responses
to their future queries will be less forthcoming.

8. If I submit a paper via email, what format can I use?

The default expectation is for papers to be submitted by hand in class. If
exceptions are made (by mutual agreement) you may select one of the
following formats: doc, docx, or .rtf. Difficulty making the switch?
Use your program's export tool.

9. Will you review a draft of my paper?

I cannot serve as your editor or proofreader, but I will provide feedback on
your draft work under certain circumstances. Initially, I will only look at
drafts during my office hours. Please do not send me a draft via email and expect
me to review it without you being present or at least speaking with me on the
phone. Secondly, I will offer a strict line-by-line review of spelling, grammar,
and other mechanics for one page, but I will not parse through every page of
your draft in search of errors. That is your job. If you need help with the
details of academic writing, I recommend that you visit the SJSU Writing Lab. So what can I offer? I will
read your draft to determine whether it meets the basic expectations of the
assignment, I will comment on its general composition, and I will answer specific
questions that you have.10. Is it still possible to get a certain grade?

Students often ask this when they’re concerned that their low performance
on previous assignments means that they may not be able to earn certain grade,
regardless of their intentions to improve their standing. Fortunately, you can
discover your status by checking the online gradebook. Simply add the maximum
score for each assignment that remains to be completed to the points you already
have, and you’ll know how many points out of 500 you can earn. The syllabus
offers a list of point values and their associated grades.

11. Why can’t I access the online gradebook?

This is usually an easy fix when you perform three checks (and, of course, presuming
that our class uses an online gradebook). First, check that you’re typing
the name you wrote on your first quiz (or first assignment in a class with no
quiz); that’s where I get the names to place in the gradebook. Second,
check that you’re using the correct PIN number that you created for this
class. Third, check that you’re capitalizing your name properly. The first
letter of your first and last name should be capitalized; the other letters
should be lower-case. Thus, I would type Andrew Wood - not andrew wood or ANDREW
WOOD. If those checks fail to work, email me. The problem might be on my end.

12. Did (or will) I miss anything important in class?

I’ll let you in on a professional secret: this question frustrates faculty
members more than most any other. Every professor thinks that her/his class
is important. Asking this question implies that we waste time in class, and
I don’t imagine you want to cast that aspersion. Having said that, I certainly
understand that you don’t want to get behind after missing a day. Thus
I place the readings, activities, and assignments on the syllabus and website.
I also note any changes to our schedule (and changes to our schedule are extraordinarily
rare) on the website. To get notes or learn more about specific material covered
in a class that you have missed - or plan to miss - ask a colleague.13. Are we taking a quiz today?

In classes where quizzes are assigned, all quizzes are unannounced. Please do
not ask me to make a special announcement.

14. Can I make up a missed quiz?

No. In classes where quizzes are assigned, quizzes are typically offered at
the beginning of class, when you are expected to be in your seat. If you show
up late or miss the quiz entirely, you cannot make that quiz up. Fortunately,
I offer seven quizzes and post your four highest grades in my final gradebook.
That means that you can miss three quizzes and still earn 100/100 points on
the quiz component of your grade by earning 25/25 in the remaining four quizzes.

15. Can I have extra credit?

No. I’ll let you in on another professional secret: In student/teacher
translation, I interpret “extra credit” as “extra grading,”
and I do plenty of grading as it is. I do not have time to grade another assignment
than the ones I have already created. Moreover, I am certain that you have plenty
of opportunity to earn all 500 points available in this class. I work hard to
ensure that you do. Extra credit would simply mean that you get more chances
to earn points than your colleagues, and that is not fair to them or to me.

16. Do you add five points to every final exam?

Yes. I add five points to every final exam at the end of the semester (but only
in undergraduate classes where I assign a written final exam - and, in the case
of humanities honors classes where two final tests are administered, only for
one of those exams). This is not extra credit; this is insurance against
the risk that one or two questions might have been poorly written, or in case
you discover a new concern about a grade you received earlier in the semester.
Given that we are generally unable to perform a complete analysis of these sorts
of questions at the end of the semester, I add five points to your final exam
score to ensure fairness. But I will not add one point more. So if you need
another point to get to the next highest grade, remember: you already receive
a five-point adjustment in your favor.

17. Can I take an incomplete?

Yes, in some cases. The university catalog states that an incomplete can only
be given late in the semester when unforeseen circumstances (military deployment,
family emergency, medical crisis) force you to halt your coursework. Under those
circumstances, I will grant an incomplete. This means that you and I will fill
out a contract specifying your assignments and due dates (none of which will
extend into a forthcoming finals week). I should also note that failure to manage
your course-load does not constitute suitable justification for the granting
of an incomplete. Due dates and assignment descriptions are announced on the
first day of class, and you need to plan accordingly.